“Feed the Dragon” playground campaign

The Greenfield Elementary School has started a community campaign to raise $150,000 toward replacing its playground.

The Greenfield Elementary School’s Parent Teacher Organization and Home School Association recently embarked on a community fundraising campaign called “Feed the Dragon.” Its goal is to build a recess area that is “distinguishable, safe and accessible to all.”

Safety checks done by the district have shown the existing playground, funded and built more than 25 years ago by community members, has outlived its projected use by more than five years.

The new playground would meet current state requirements for accessibility for students with special needs. It would be built from plastic composite lumber and arsenic-free treated wood, and feature components such as an Adirondack castle, Native American longhouse, pirate ship, dragon’s tale twisty slide, HabiTrail maze, mutineer’s plank fire pole and a rocket ship.

The campaign features the school’s dragon mascot and a year-long marketing campaign. The groups are applying for grants and mailing out hundreds of sponsorship packets to area businesses and residents in search of support. The Home School Association is planning a year of events. Students are also participating. There will be dances, a “dragon” cookbook sale, a 5K race, in-school contests and a community gala early next year. Donations may be made on the organization’s website or by calling 893-7402.

“It has been a pleasure to work with the dedicated, ambitious parents of our school,” Greenfield Principal Tina Davis said. “Our parents have taken on this project with a passion that has ignited a lot of excitement. It is important for a school to use its parent resources as wisely as we can because we know having more involved parents benefits the children.”

Julie Guetti, parent of a third-grader and project manager for the program, said, “we are hoping to pave the way for other area schools in need of playground improvements. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but the end result will be something our community can be very proud of.”

Volunteers will recruit about 600 people to help with the building of the playground, scheduled to take place on June 5-9, 2013. Tools will be borrowed from the community.